Expelled Mogalakwena councillors to appeal

THE former mayor and 22 former Mogalakwena councillors, who were expelled from the ANC recently went on a protest march under the banner “Mogalakwena ANC Sub-region” on Saturday in protest against their expulsion.

The disgruntled group marched to the hotel where ANC national executive committee member, Nomvula Mokonyane, was addressing the ANC regional general council. The group had been denied access to the meeting, however, their expulsion was at the top of the agenda.

Two of the dismissed councillors was arrested for malicious damage to property after the tyres of two vehicles belonging to those who were at the meeting were deflated.

Provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto confirmed the arrests and said the suspects would appear again in August. The two councillors had been released on their own recognisance, she confirmed.

It is clear that the ANC in Limpopo is divided over the situation at the Mogalakwena Municipality since the recent expulsion of the 22 councillors.

Some ANC top guns are challenging the expulsions, saying the ANC provincial disciplinary committee led by Dorah Maraba did not follow the correct procedures. They said they intended writing letters to the ANC’s national disciplinary committee to review the situation.

The provincial disciplinary committee charged the 22 councillors for attending a council meeting in alliance with opposition party members, and collaborating with them in taking decisions to remove the then mayor, Tlhalefi Mashamaite, as well as other councillors without any directive from the ANC, in spite of directives issued by the ANC secretary general.

The disciplinary committee said the councillors could no longer purport to represent the ANC, and charged them with bringing the party into disrepute, and prejudicing the integrity and/or reputation of the organisation.

Maraba said most of the charged members failed to attend the proceedings but the fourth member charged, Kokonana Evelyn Mashaba, initially appeared before the disciplinary committee but refused to subject herself to the proceedings. “She reported that she had a representative, and was advised to attend the proceedings with her representative. But she refused to obey the constitutional requirement and she subsequently left and the disciplinary proceedings continued in her absence,” she said.

“All charged members were found guilty.The guilty comrades undermined the regional executive committee of Waterberg, provincial executive committee of Limpopo, the national disciplinary committee, and the secretary general of the ANC, without any remorse shown. They defiantly attended council meetings as councillors despite being directed to resign their positions, and being suspended as ANC members. They were directed not to purport to represent the ANC during the period of their suspension, but chose to ignore this,” Maraba said.

She further said the 22 expelled councillors had continued to deliberately embarrass the ANC in public, as well as collaborate with counter-revolutionary forces. “They wilfully brought the ANC into disrepute,” she continued.

“It is established without a doubt that they had agreed to defy the ANC structures and its leadership every step of the way and at every level, and refused to subject themselves to organisational discipline by common purpose. The provincial disciplinary committee imposes the sanction of expulsion from the ANC, and this applies to all 22 members charged. They can no longer represent the ANC in any structure of the organisation,” Maraba said.

The expelled members are Kgatedi David Malatjie, Panyana Ramadimetja Ephodia, Raisibe Paulina Madubana, Mashaba, Francinah Mmengwa Mabuela, Ester Raisibe Mothibi, Isaac Matsobane Mogotlane, Daphney Ramasela Ramasobane, Ramasela Lindah Kekana, Daicy Manhle Dabula, Raisebe Meelba Mabusela, Grace Sebolaishi Ngobeni, Michael Madimetja Moseamedi, Rasemate Piet Maluleke, William Malose Mabuela, Abram Tlou Kgaphola, Phuti Gilbert Pila, Elizabeth Mokgaetjie Ramashala, Saul Phakane Mabe, Kenneth Matsobane Kgalo, Betty Lekgancha Mabusela and Mokgadi Minute Mashilu.

ANC Limpopo spokesperson Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said it was the right of the dismissed councillors to appeal.

According to several of the expelled councillors, who did not wish to be identified, they intended to appeal the decision with the ANC national disciplinary committee.